Nonwoven elastic composite fabrics are useful in a variety of applications such as bandaging materials, garments, diapers, supportive clothing and personal hygiene products because of their ability to conform and allow more freedom of body movement than fabrics with limited extensibility. A sizeable effort has been directed to the formation of composite nonwoven fabrics by combining elastomeric nonwoven fabrics with other fabrics. For example, composites utilizing a fibrous layer bonded to an elastic substrate have become increasingly popular, especially in disposable garment applications. Of these fabrics, "zero-strain" stretch laminates have received considerable attention. A "zero-strain" stretch laminate refers to a fabric in which at least two layers of material, one elastic, the other substantially inelastic, are secured to one another along their coextensive surfaces while in a substantially untensioned state. The fabric is subsequently subjected to mechanical stretching, thus permanently elongating the fibers. "Zero-strain" stretch lamination is advantageous in that utilizing elastic in an unstretched condition is easier and less expensive than stretched elastic used in traditional processing operations.
Fibrous webs formed of polyethylene possess properties which make them desirable for incorporation into a "zero-strain" stretch fabric. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,045 to Fowells, spunbonded webs formed from low density polyethylene are particularly advantageous, possessing excellent hand, softness, and drape properties. Moreover, these fibers are capable of elongating to over 200% of their unstretched length upon mechanical stretching. Nonetheless, in spite of these advantages, elongation severely disrupts fiber tie down within the substantially inelastic component of the zero-strain laminate. As a result, the fibers detach, giving the fabric an unsightly fuzzed appearance. In addition, such detachment causes a noticeable loss in fabric strength.